Food processors and blending machines are being used now more than ever, particularly in the high-volume commercial beverage industry. People are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits, in terms of taste and quality, of well-processed beverages and other blended foods. Blended fruit smoothies and similar fruit drinks made with a food processor or blending machine are popular with all types of people, including fitness conscious and more casual consumers. Powerful blenders are also regularly used to make sauces, dips, dressings, nut butters, soups, and a variety of other foods.
Cold beverages, in particular, which have fruit (frozen or fresh) and ice ingredients to prepare, present unique challenges in beverage preparation. An appropriate blending machine will break down the ice, fruit, and other ingredients in an attempt to achieve an ideal uniform drink consistency.
In addition to the recent increase in the popularity of smoothies, food processors and blending machines are being used to produce many new and different beverages. For example, different types of coffees, shakes, dairy drinks, and the like are now commonly served at many different types of retail business locations. Consumers are demanding more diversity and variety in the beverages available at these smoothie and other retail stores. The keys to producing a high quality beverage, irrespective of the specific type of beverage, are quality ingredients and a high quality blending machine that will quickly and efficiently blend the ingredients to produce a drink with uniform consistency over a large number of duty cycles. Recent years have also seen a rise in residential ownership of high-powered blenders to allow consumers to enjoy these products at home.
One issue associated with businesses that depend on blending machines is the speed with which the beverage or drink is prepared. In the food preparation industry, time equals money. Beverages have traditionally been made by retrieving the appropriate ingredients, placing the ingredients inside a mixing container, and actuating a motor which drives a blade mounted inside the mixing container to blend the contents held within the mixing container. Each second of time wasted, even a fraction of a second of time wasted, adds up over time to significant amounts of money lost for any commercial operation. Residential users also use high speed settings to speed up production, create a smoother product, and minimize the duration of associated noise. Thus, blending blades are frequently rotated at high speeds for economic reasons as well as to improve the end user's experience.
Over time, blending at high speeds and high power levels can be abusive and even destructive to a blending jar and blade assembly. Repeated impact of the blade against frozen or other hard ingredients in the jar induces strong vibrations and resultant forces in the blade shaft, bearings, and other parts of the blade assembly. This energy must be dissipated by transmission through the jar and/or base of the blender in ways that can cause danger or damage. Accordingly, improvements to food processors and blending apparatus are needed to improve their durability, safety, and quality.